Why is eating healthy so darn expensive?

imchicbad

I think its amazing how you can get a burger or taco for 99 cents or less, but make it at home, cost you way more. It makes you wonder what's really in the ingredients that makes it so cheap.

KarimeKH

love the images it really breaks it down visually!
good job on the weight loss too!
Karime

shrinkingbrian

Try a bag of carrots for veggies and then cut them up. A bag of carrots is usually pretty cheap. Also, you can get a whole bag of potatoes for a few dollars. I then make baked potatoes with a little bit of grilled chicken breasts. For fruit, bananas and apples are usually pretty cheap. I also like to hit the farmer's market during the summer. If you have the room, growing your own garden can also be good exercise, fun, and save money.

gddrdld

End result:
Cheaper than medication for weight-related health issues.


I was paying upward of $400 a month in medication for diabetes prior to my weightloss.

^^This! Absolutely.

shrinkingbrian

There is a concept in economics called "economies of scale." If you can buy in bulk and mass produce something, it's usually less expensive per unit. If I have a craving for a burger, I go to Wendy's or BK and get a burger for $3 and then move on.

pyrowill

Personally for me healthy eating is about half the price.

Elegra2006

I'm not sure what the options are for online grocery shopping in the US, but here in the UK, I do my shopping online at Tesco and they send me coupons based on what I buy ie. I buy lots of veggies so next month I get a coupon for either money off or additional points if I buy say £2 of veggies etc.

Perhaps something worth looking into?

Also, I use the tactic too of buying items that are reduced and then whacking them in the freezer.

Jlynb1109

I'm not sure if this has been mentioned yet but I'd check out local produce from stands or farmers markets. I've found a lot of cheap produce there and it's usually organic!

pyrowill

YES

pyrowill

And don't forget, water is free.

iLoveMyAR15

I actually spent way less money when I started shopping healthy. No idea what you're buying or where you're shopping...

same here

extraordinary_machine

I'm just throwing some ideas out there to see what sticks...sorry if these are repeats:
Buy in bulk--beans, oatmeal, pasta, flour, rice, etc. is cheaper when you purchase it this way. Also, we purchase frozen meat (chicken breasts and wings, turkey burgers, etc.) from Costco. We'll also get 2 whole chickens from there, pressure cook both of them in a canner and it makes about 4 gallons of stock.
Buy produce in season
Grow your own veggies and herbs in the spring and summer
Don't purchase "boxed" sides such as rice with seasonings, etc. Make your own.
Coupon
Watch for sales

It's really not that expensive when you know how to shop properly.

MyChocolateDiet

I've never been a couponer but I clipped coupons from the paper on friday.ive noticed the healthy stuff is never on sale the way the snacks and frozen foods are though

Coupons will be your bestfriend. When you see mark down meat usually that means they are about to expire, but if you buy the meat you can put it in your freezer and your good to go! Sometimes off brand items can be higher (by a little not much) in calories then the name brand. But if your on a budget still go for the lower price which is usally off brand. Buy in bulk when fruits and veggies are on sale. Keep what you need out and freeze the rest. When there off sale go to frozen kind before canned fruits and veggies. You can always buy cheap bread and freeze some if you don't go through bread like I do with my husband and daughter. Try to go shopping 1 time, if you keep going back to get this and that then your going to spend more without realizing.

chicken goes on sale pretty regularly from the butcher. the fresh stuff. some other meats too. just keep your eyes open to the circulars as well.

alternatively when you find no sales or coupons on things you need remember that heart attacks, strokes, and fat clothes are expensive too. would you rather be broke and thin and healthy? or broke and fat and sick?

bethlaf

Coupons will be your bestfriend. When you see mark down meat usually that means they are about to expire, but if you buy the meat you can put it in your freezer and your good to go! Sometimes off brand items can be higher (by a little not much) in calories then the name brand. But if your on a budget still go for the lower price which is usally off brand. Buy in bulk when fruits and veggies are on sale. Keep what you need out and freeze the rest. When there off sale go to frozen kind before canned fruits and veggies. You can always buy cheap bread and freeze some if you don't go through bread like I do with my husband and daughter. Try to go shopping 1 time, if you keep going back to get this and that then your going to spend more without realizing.

yes this, and thats not true, ataulfo mangoes at whole foods 5 for 5.00
yes healthy food is slightly more expensive , for some things, but pretty standard price for frozen veg is 1.00 for a bag, in my house ( there are 9 people) we all eat for about 250.00 week , so its not much if you divide it out,
throw out the notion of shopping at one store for everything, thats the way cattle are herded not a real smart consumer shops .

STRATEGY , find out your grocery stores sales cycles, and watch the ads, most items go on sale somewhere pretty regular,
some things should NEVER EVER be bought for full price, fresh fruit and veg, frozen veg.
etc .
stick to the borders of the store , and not the aisles, you will eat fine,
EGGS are still a cheap protein source, as is tofu , for less than (most of the time) 1.80 for a package, i have a fine source of protein for my brood

and always remember when using coupons and sales, an elephant for a dime is only a good deal if you have a dime and need an elephant

eliseofthejungle

Pasta and rice are not unhealthy.

A whole chicken is like, $3.

Pasta and sauce is maybe $5.

Whole chicken and rice is probably $3.10. I disagree with your hypothesis completely.

That's great that this is how it works where you live. Where I live:

A whole chicken is $5

Pasta and sauce is $2.50

The sauce at least has a vegetable component. If I were to add a veggie to the chicken I'm looking at $.50-$1 more per meal.

This isn't a hypothesis you should disagree with unless you live in the same neighborhood and with the same means as the op.

sunlover89

I think it really depends where you live. From the prices you are quoting, it's a hell of a lot more expensive to buy groceries here in the UK e.g. 1 whole (cheap) chicken would be $7, a loaf of bread $3, a 150g punnet of berries is no less than $5 and 2 small fillets of salmon are $8. I've really had to cut back on the healthy food I enjoy but I have been able to get the same nutrients I need from cheaper options or going to the shop at 8pm when things are being marked down.
The only fruit I buy now is apples, cause their the cheapest, I take a multivitamin every day to counteract the lack of variety of fruit (yes, the cost of the multivitamin does work out much cheaper than buying fruit). I buy tinned sardines instead of fresh fish for omega 3, the only meat I buy is turkey because it's about half the price of chicken and all the veg fresh but marked down (no freezer). We also do not have a coupon culture in the UK, but it's easy to find bargains if you go looking for them and are willing to make many substitutions on your list. Making a long list of things is a way to spend a lot of money too, go to the store and buy what's on offer then make meals around that.
You can make a pack of beans and lentils with some spices stretch very far and they are very cheap and nutritious.

Lupercalia

I live in the UK now, where food is generally more expensive than where I was in the US (Portland, Oregon). It costs me about the same here to eat very healthily as compared to how I was eating before, which was a good amount of healthy food, but also junk foods, and eating away from home a few times per month (occasional lunches and dinners).

So my food bill has not reduced, but I'm eating better. I shop weekly. I always look to see what sort of meat and produce is on offer (sale prices) and try to work that into my plans for the coming week. I make everything from scratch, including stuff like nut/seed butters and mayo (which works out cheaper and healthier than buying a processed or pre-prepared food). I don't buy cut up veggies or fruits.

Farmer's markets can be a great place to find bargains on fresh local produce and meats....some can also be more like boutique shopping or something ridiculous. Do have a look if you've got one nearby, though.

You do have to be prepared to spend a bit more for quality foods/ingredients, but hopefully you can find ways to work with whatever you've got in your budget.

JonMB

I haven't found eating healthy to be any more expensive than unhealthy. It just requires more planning and sometimes buying in bulk.

FitMrsR

Um....it isn't expensive. We used to spend £300/month on pre-made processed good and now we spend £150/month max. We only eat meat once a week and have plenty of fresh veg and fruit. We eat a lot of beans, lentils, chickpeas, ect. I make everything myself except cheese and milk...I do buy bread sometimes as well. There are 2.5 of us (my toddler eats a lot) and I make extra so we have leftovers for lunch. We have plenty of food to last the month so if you doit correctly, it is very affordable! Gl

Matt_Wild

Buy in bulk and its usually cheaper.

Its also much cheaper than the problems obesity can cause and leads to a longer, healthier, with less health problems and confidence issues, life.